Marguerite De La Motte, a renowned American film actress, was born on June 22, 1902, in Duluth, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph De La Motte, and graduated from the Egan School of drama, music, and dancing in 1917.
Before embarking on her film career, De La Motte studied ballet under the tutelage of the legendary Anna Pavlova. In 1919, she became the dance star of Sid Grauman's theater, and in 1918, at the age of 16, she made her screen debut in the romantic comedy film Arizona, directed by Douglas Fairbanks.
Following her parents' untimely deaths in 1920, film producer J.L. Frothingham assumed guardianship of De La Motte and her younger brother. She went on to spend the 1920s appearing in numerous films, often cast alongside Douglas Fairbanks in swashbuckling adventure films such as The Mark of Zorro and The Three Musketeers.
De La Motte developed a close friendship with Fairbanks and his wife, actress Mary Pickford, and her career as an actress slowed dramatically at the end of the silent film era. She continued to act in bit parts during the sound era, making her final appearance in the 1942 film Overland Mail, opposite Noah Beery Sr., Noah Beery Jr., and Lon Chaney Jr.
After her film career ended, De La Motte worked as an inspector in a southern California war plant during World War II. Later, she relocated to San Francisco, California, where she worked in the Red Cross office.
In recognition of her contributions to the film industry, De La Motte was awarded a star in the Motion Pictures section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960, located at 6902 Hollywood Blvd., in Hollywood, California.
